The present invention relates to plumbing fixtures and particularly to such a fixture which may be mounted completely from above a sink deck. In the past, it has been conventional for the plumbing fixture to be seated upon the sink deck and then the installer, of necessity, must go underneath the sink deck to a small, cramped area to fasten the plumbing fixture onto the sink deck. The present invention invention removes the necessity for the installer to go beneath the sink deck for any purpose other than to attach the water connections or hoses between one or more of the plumbing fixtures.
The plumbing fixture of the present invention essentially provides a housing in which may be installed various types of plumbing devices such as a water control valve, the nipple for a spout, or the connection for a kitchen deck side spray. The plumbing fixture is essentially the same, regardless of the type of water control plumbing device which will be mounted in it.
The plumbing fixture includes a housing which has a body portion adapted to extend through a sink deck opening. There is a shoulder on the housing which seats on top of the sink deck around the sink deck opening. There is a collar slidable on the body portion and of a size to extend through the sink deck opening. The collar has a threaded bore and the shoulder has an unthreaded bore and there is a threaded member such as a bolt which extends through these bores, with rotation of the bolt, from above the sink deck, axially moving the collar along the body portion of the housing. There is a sleeve within the collar which has a pair of oppositely-positioned button-shaped projections which extend through openings in the collar. When the projections are compressed, they allow the collar to pass through the sink deck opening, and when allowed to expand, prevent the collar from moving through the sink deck opening. Thus, these elements are compressed when the plumbing fixture is mounted to the sink deck opening, allowed to expand once they have passed through the sink deck opening, after which the bolt is turned to move the collar and the extended projections snugly up against the bottom of the sink deck to complete installation.
The body portion of the housing has a pair of oppositely-positioned recessed areas to accommodate inward movement of the button-shaped projections. There are cam-shaped ramps which assist the projections in moving to their outwardly-extended position, with these ramps bordering on and forming a transition between the recessed areas and the cylindrical portion of the housing body portion.
This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/746,623 filed Dec. 22, 2000.
The present invention relates to a plumbing fixture which may be installed from above the sink deck.
A primary purpose of the invention is to provide a plumbing fixture which may be used to house various types of water control plumbing devices, and which may be installed, except for hose connections, from above the sink deck.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a plumbing fixture which has outwardly-biased button-shaped projections, which when extended, prevent the housing of the plumbing fixture from passing through a sink deck opening, but when compressed, will permit such passage.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a plumbing fixture as described in which the housing of the fixture mounts a slidable collar, within which is positioned a sleeve having outwardly-directed button-shaped projections, biased to extend radially beyond the extent of the collar.
Another purpose is to provide a simply constructed reliable plumbing fixture as described, in which the housing has recessed areas to accommodate inward movement of the button-shaped projections and cams to assist the projections in moving outwardly from the confines of the collar.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a plumbing fixture as described in which the housing has an axial projection to provide an anti-rotation key and to accommodate a portion of the water supply connections to the housing.
Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.